Blade Dance Port, the largest port in Wano Country.
Rows of red maple trees stand on both sides of the rocky coastline, their vibrant leaves swirling in the air, creating a breathtaking scene.
"Wow, it's so beautiful!"
Yamato jumped off the ship and eagerly ran to the center of the dock, spreading her arms wide as if to embrace the world.
After a full fifteen years, she had finally set foot again on the land that had haunted her dreams, and now she could move freely.
The girl turned to Gurd, flashing a silly yet radiant smile.
"Gurd, thank you!"
"Mm."
Gurd nodded slightly, his gaze directed deep into Blade Dance Port.
The crowd bustled, creating a lively atmosphere.
Wano Country was not just the Flower Capital; various towns also thrived, like Boro Town in Kuri.
Blade Dance Port was no exception.
These prosperous towns were ruled by new clans that had submitted to Orochi, replacing the old noble families like Shimotsuki and Uzuki.
And there were underground gangs!
The person they were looking for was Hyougoro of the Flower, the leader of the underground gang in Blade Dance, and according to King's intel, the Kozuki Remnants that had appeared this time seemed to be in contact with the gang leaders from various towns.
"It's time to go, Yamato."
"Oh."
Yamato hurriedly followed behind Gurd, looking around with the curiosity of someone who had never seen the world before, fascinated by everything.
But there was also worry.
The girl tugged at Gurd's sleeve and whispered, "Gurd, can we not go looking for those Kozuki Samurai?"
"We can't. There's no room for discussion on this matter."
Gurd replied coldly.
Kaido's orders had to be followed.
Yamato's sudden change would surely prompt an investigation from above, and during this time, he had been the one in closest contact with her.
There was no doubt that King had his eyes on him.
Choosing to bet on Yamato, he was well aware that he would be scrutinized from above, so he could not afford to act traitorously.
It would mean death!
This mission of suppression could not be taken lightly; it required full effort. If Yamato couldn't bring herself to kill, then he would do it!
Getting involved with Yamato was a risk, and if there wasn't a sufficiently rich reward, it would be like losing everything but his underwear.
His goals were not merely about clinging to power; ambition grew alongside strength.
"Hmph."
Yamato bit her lip in frustration.
"You're a devil!"
"Funny, others say the same about me."
Gurd smirked.
Soon, the two arrived at the casino.
The underground gang's economic sources were primarily tied to gambling and vice; even the highly regarded Hyougoro of the Flower had once engaged in dirty businesses like gambling.
They were all criminals with blood on their hands, not much better than pirates.
Inside the casino, the noise was deafening.
Even in the direst of circumstances, countless gamblers flocked here, squandering their hard-earned money, with some even losing enough to sell their wives and children.
Gurd casually found a corner to sit.
Yamato looked around curiously, eager to try her hand at the games.
She was not unfamiliar with casinos.
Though she had never gambled, she had seen it many times; there were casinos on Oni Island, and pirates often gathered to gamble during their downtime.
"Aren't we going to play?"
"Not interested."
Gurd shook his head.
If there were mahjong, he wouldn't mind playing a few rounds for fun, but the games here were unfamiliar to him; the only thing he could understand was dice.
He didn't know how to play, nor was he interested.
Yamato was puzzled.
If they weren't going to play, then why come here?
"What are we going to do then?"
"Watch the excitement."
Gurd crossed his legs and waved to the casino staff.
Soon, a bouncer approached them, his attitude extremely polite, even somewhat fearful.
His distinctive Viking attire was enough to make the casino wary of provoking him.
Gurd tossed 1 gold to the bouncer.
"Get a pot of tea; the rest is yours."
"Sure thing, sir."
The attendant hurried away, excited.
1 gold was equivalent to 100 silver, enough to cover a month's living expenses for a family of three, while a pot of good tea wouldn't even cost 5 silver.
Such a generous gesture drew many eyes.
Gurd calmly sipped his tea, ignoring the surrounding noise, as if he were in a teahouse rather than a casino.
"I lost it all!"
"Need to borrow money? Old man, you've sold your wife and kids; what else can you pledge? If you don't pay back the debt in three days, I'll toss you into the river to feed the fish!"
"Dare to cheat? Do you know what happens next?!"
"Don't chop off my hands, ahhh!"
"Hahaha, I won! I won!"
Gamblers continued to lose everything, crying out in despair and displaying all sorts of ugly behaviors, with some even having their hands and feet chopped off.
Yet a few gamblers returned home with their pockets full.
Yamato fidgeted, her earlier excitement long gone.
"Gurd, we—"
"What? Can't handle it?"
"Mm."
"But this is a microcosm of Wano Country."
Gurd replied calmly.
The oppressive environment of Wano Country created the scene before them; the deeper one fell into despair, the more they sought shortcuts, unaware they were heading down a dead end.
"If you want to save this country, you must first understand it, just as if you want to become Oden, you must first understand Oden."
"I—"
Yamato was at a loss for words.
"Don't be anxious."
Gurd ruffled Yamato's hair and stretched his limbs.
"Let's go; we've had enough tea."
"Ah? We're leaving already?"
Yamato stood up dazedly.
"It's getting dark; do you want to stay here overnight?"
Gurd shot her an exasperated glance.
So adorably foolish.
He had brought Yamato to the casino for other reasons, but sitting there for so long was mainly to broaden her horizons.
There were many places to visit, not just the casino.
Before leaving, Gurd scanned the area, his gaze locking onto the bouncer who had brought him tea, and beckoned him over.
The bouncer hurried over, bowing slightly, and asked, "Sir, do you need something?"
"Deliver this letter to Hyougoro of the Flower!"
Gurd pulled a letter from his pocket and handed it to the bouncer, then turned without looking back, leading Yamato out of the casino.
As night fell, in the back courtyard of the casino.
Lights flickered on inside a room.
Hyougoro sat at his desk, opening the envelope sent by his underling, reading it carefully under the dim light.
"An invitation?"
During the day, he had remained inside the casino, observing the two unexpected guests from the shadows without revealing himself.
Recently, old friends had approached him, trying to drag him into an assault on Oni Island.
But he did not want to get involved.
As a gangster, his ties to the Kozuki clan were not deep, unlike the loyalty shown by the larger families like Shimotsuki and Uzuki.
His greatest hatred for the Beast Pirates stemmed from the fact that they had killed Hyougoro's family, and he constantly yearned for revenge.
The sudden appearance of Kaido's subordinates in his casino was enough to make him anxious.
He had thought the situation was exposed, but now he was somewhat uncertain.
"Paradise Hot Spring SPA Club?"
The letter from the pirates turned out to be an invitation to the grand opening, inviting him to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The date was set for half a month later, in the southern suburbs of the Flower Capital.
And most importantly.
The inviter: Yamato, the Ogre Child!
(End of Chapter)